Document information

Physical location:

VPRS 5834/PO/3, inward correspondence p. 27, VA 1411 Industrial and Technological Museum, Public Record Office, Victoria. 72.09.25

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Marcus Clarke, 1872-09-25. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/72-09-25>, accessed September 11, 2025

Melbourne bot Garden,
25/9/72
Sir
I have the honor to thank you for your kind communication of the 21. inst.,
1
See M to M. Clarke, 21 September 1872 (in this edition as 72-09-21a).
and beg to assure the trustees of the Publ. Library and Museum and Gallery, that I have offered with unrestricted feelings of pleasure my medals to the institution under the trustees charge, in accordance with a desire expressed in the Legislative Assembly.
2
See M to W. Vale, 5 September 1872, and notes appended thereto.
I trust therefore, that the donation will be kindly accepted, more particularly as I have no family and hardly ever an opportunity of showing these tokens of appreciations of my scientific and industrial researches to any one in my office building. As stated already in my letter to the Hon. Mr Vale, I am not free to offer the insignia of orders, graciously conferred on me, also to the Museum, because after my death most of these decorations have to be returned to the thrones, from which I received them. Moreover at any moment the opportunity may arise for using the orders, when representatives of the Sovereigns, who honored me, may be visitors in this colony. Will you kindly express to the Museum Committee my recognition of the tender and graceful manner in which the Gentlemen desire me not to deprive myself of these gifts, but as I still retain my Decorations, I would be glad, if the trustees would allow through their institution the medals to be rendered accessible to the general public, and it will give me pleasure to add early a medal awarded at the Neapel Exhibition,
3
Esposizione Internazionale delle Industrie Marittime, Naples, 1871.
though in this as in many other instances the award was bestowed on work, performed unaided by any resources of my Department.
4
MS annotation by M. Clarke: 'accept. Put in cases: […] not to exceed Inform [the] Baron that this will be done.' For reply see M. Clarke to M, 3 October 1872 (in this edition as 72-10-03a).
I have the honor to be your obedient
Ferd. von Mueller.
Marcus Clarke Esq,
Secret Industr. Museum.